Mother's Day in the time of social distancing is going to look a little different than it has in years past. Those with small kids at home can still celebrate mostly like normal, with brunch or breakfast in bed, thoughtful gifts, and time spent together. But far fewer families will actually be able to get together, so they'll be looking for new ways to celebrate.
Enter
Netflix Party and the movie marathon. The Chrome extension was designed for people in different places to watch Netflix together (even though they are apart). Netflix Party syncs the video playback and has a group chat function, so it's almost like you're watching the movies or show together. Netflix is the only streaming service to have launched a dedicated app like this. So if your mom wants to watch something on Hulu or Amazon Prime Video, you'll have to look for another solution.
Groupon Coupons suggests
Kast. It's a screen-sharing program that works for almost every website. This article has instructions on
how to set up a Kast party.
In preparation for a Mother's Day moviethon, I've been doing research on what the big streaming services are offering for free right now, and I have a few suggestions if you're scheduling some Mother's Day entertainment as well.
Childhood Classics
There is but one ironclad rule when it comes to watching movies with parents: Nothing with a sex scene. When I was in college, my girlfriend and I mistakenly brought her mom to see Mulholland Drive in the theater, and though it was long ago and it wasn't even my mother, the memory of that evening haunts me still. To make sure there isn't even a hint of a chance of something like that happening, you may want to limit your viewing to the childhood classics you've already seen.
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- The Indiana Jones trilogy
- The Princess & The Frog
- Hook
- Bend It Like Beckham
- Incredibles 2
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- Little Women
- Charlotte's Web
- Stuart Little
- Yours, Mine & Ours
- It Takes Two
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- She's All That
- Free Willy
- Good Will Hunting
- Billboard Dad
- Babe
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Nostalgic & Campy
Remember—no sex scenes. So why not go with something you've already seen? Similar to the childhood classics we listed above, but this category is more about movies that moms might have watched when they were teenagers and young adults or ones you might have watched together once you were old enough.
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- Jerry Maguire
- Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Tootsie
- Groundhog Day
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- Bridget Jones's Diary
- Pretty in Pink
- Roman Holiday
- The First Wives Club
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- How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
- Heathers
- Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
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Modern Movies
Feeling adventurous? You might have seen some of these more modern titles, but maybe not. It's a risky move to pick a new title on Mother's Day, but she's your mom, she'll love you no matter what.
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- Dolemite is My Name
- Private Life
- Crip Camp
- The Edge of Seventeen
- To All the Boys I've Loved
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- Hamilton—One Shot to Broadway
- The Farewell
- Instant Family
- Lady Bird
- Life Itself
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- Parasite
- I, Tonya
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette
- Booksmart
- Yesterday
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